Justice Integrity Act Press Release

March 10, 2009Press ReleaseFor Immediate Release

CONGRESSMEN COHEN, CONYERS INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO STUDY RACIAL DISPARITIES IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) and Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (MI-14) introduced the Justice Integrity Act, which will examine the causes of racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system and to develop proposals for reducing or eliminating unjustified disparities where found. The Act establishes a five-year pilot program in ten United States districts.

“Numerous studies conducted over the past several years have documented racial disparities at many stages of the criminal justice system, from initial law enforcement contact with a suspect to the percentage of racial and ethnic minorities in prison,” said Congressman Cohen. “These disparities have engendered a crisis of public trust in the integrity of the criminal justice system and fuel community perceptions of bias in the criminal justice system. As a result, communities become reluctant to report crimes or cooperate with police and prosecutors. The Justice Integrity Act aims to get to the root of cause for racial disparities in the criminal justice system and will help to create programs and policies that will lessen these impacts.”

Under the program, an advisory group is established in each selected district. This advisory group would be headed by the U.S. Attorney for that district and consist of federal and state prosecutors and defenders, private defense counsel, judges, correctional officers, victims’ rights representatives, civil rights organizations, business representatives, and faith-based organizations. The advisory group would be responsible for gathering data on the presence, cause, and extent of racial and ethnic disparities at each stage of the criminal justice system. Each of the advisory groups would recommend a plan, specific to each district, to ensure progress towards racial and ethnic equality. The U.S. Attorney will consider the advisory group’s recommendations, adopt a plan, and submit a report to the Attorney General. The Act requires the Attorney General to submit a comprehensive report to Congress at the end of the pilot program, outlining the results from all ten districts and recommending best practices.

The Act has been endorsed by the American Bar Association, The Sentencing Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, the National Black Prosecutors Association, the United Methodist Church, the National Criminal Justice Association, the NAACP, and The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Drug Policy Alliance and others.